Night Out Alternatives

Lilian Sztankov on 13 November 2021

As a very fresh first year, one of the main things I heard constantly before arriving to Leeds was how unbelievable the nightlife would be. In such a vibrant and lively city, I hadn’t realized that this meant more than just the clubs; the music scenes, the bars, the pubs, the theatres, the concerts, the exhibitions, the list goes on and on. People talked about going out so much I nearly forgot the initial reason I applied for university is to go to lectures and focus on getting a degree.

The stigma around university life is undeniably centered around the social aspect, and this is natural and an important part of growing up. It’s when you find your people and connect on closer and deeper emotional levels, gaining fulfilling friendships and making memories that last for years. You have fun on nights out together, you dance, sing, and despite the cracking headache which inevitably greets you with its stabbing sharp hug the next morning, you’ll always have a story to tell.

Yet, a fun life is also a balanced one. If by the sixth night of the week, you feel a slight desire to stay in joggers, put on a face mask and watch a movie, that is completely understandable. In fact, I would encourage you to listen to your mind and body if it is telling you to rest and clear your mind, and stay in instead. 

Mainstream media preaches wild nights out every night but it’s always good to have a break and this does not necessarily mean needing to shut yourself in your room and to be asleep by 8:30!  

So, if this sounds appealing but you’re stuck on what to do, choose an activity from this list of fun things with flat mates or friends as an alternative to going out – the perfect way to look after yourself while having fun.

  • Movie night: huddle over a laptop or pitch in and get a cheap projector and have a movie marathon night! Everyone can bring a different snack or order a pizza together, and you’ve sorted dinner too. 
  • Have a pampering session: grab some face masks from Boots and bake some brownies so you can feast on your dessert with baby-soft skin.  
  • Host a dinner party: this might come with more planning and maybe cost slightly more but if everyone chips in for ingredients, cooking together is a great bonding experience and you end up with a nice warm home-cooked meal.  
  • Host a quiz night: each of you make 10/15 questions on a particular topic, and you can decide winners’ prizes and losers’ consequences!  
  • Game night: bring some games from back home: Monopoly, Uno, Cards Against Humanity and make it a competition, scoreboard and all.  
  • PowerPoint night: each person presents a PowerPoint to the group on a random topic, the more random, the better! A good example to get you started could be ‘Shrek characters in a Come Dine With Me episode.’

Seasonal Activities  

  • Halloween: spooky season has officially ended but pumpkin carving, watching a scary movie together or thinking of a group costume theme are all good ideas for next year.
  • Christmas – it’s fast approaching! Get into the spirit by decorating a Christmas tree, stringing up some fairy lights, building a gingerbread house while listening to Christmas music or hosting a festive movie marathon. 

Partying can be exhilarating and just what you need after hours of studying, but sometimes naturally you will crave some downtime. So, the next time you feel you still have not recovered from last weekend’s endeavors, try something new together and you might find you enjoy it. Bonus; you’ll save yourself from that hangover.

House Hunting Season: The Do’s and Dont’s

Ingrid Borgan Stølan on 13 November 2021

Spooky season is here. And no, I am not talking about Halloween, because that’s nothing compared to what you’re about to go through these next couple of months.  House hunting can be both scary and stressful, especially if you haven’t done it before. Therefore, I am here to safely guide you through this season’s terrifying events with four simple, but crucial steps.

Do not stress

In my opinion, this is the most important point of them all. Now I know things are a bit different this year, but as someone who started house hunting during a global pandemic, finding housemates was incredibly stressful and hard. Being a late house hunter sucks, but in the end, it’s better to be a little late and actually like your housemates, rather than end up in a house full of people you dislike. Trust me, there will be good houses for months to come. Hopefully, you’ll have made good friends both in and outside of the halls, but if you haven’t, don’t worry, they will come! And if you are completely lost, fear not. Flatmate services like SpareRoom are practically made for you. So don’t stress.

Choose your area wisely

It’s easy just listening to what everyone else has to say on this subject, but you should really try to get your own opinion on this. A lot of the first-year student accommodations are in Woodhouse and Headingley, but before you start your second year, you’ll have to pick your own area. ‘Everyone’ will try to convince you to move to Hyde Park, and as long as you know what you’re getting, there is nothing wrong with that. However, do some research on the other areas too. The four main student neighbourhoods in Leeds are Woodhouse, Hyde Park, Headingley and Burley. There are good things about all of them, but no matter where you end up you will need to make sacrifices and always rememeber to be careful at night.

Research Landlords

Is your landlord a company? Check reviews. They don’t have any reviews? Be. Careful. I’m here to tell you, based on personal experience, that there are landlords out there which are truly just a scam. I won’t drop any names, but they are out there. If you find as much as one negative review about them that doesn’t sit quite right with you, confront them about it. Do not trust them blindly. And if you are unfortunate enough to end up with an awful landlord, don’t stop nagging at them. You have the right to complain. As students, we often hear that we just have to make do with vile flats and dirty carpets, but we don’t. You are paying for that property, and if you have rats or mould, getting rid of it is their responsibility. Their only purpose is making money off students, so get your money’s worth!

Attend viewings

Finally, viewings are essential when it comes to house hunting. Again, speaking from personal experience, photos and video viewings are not to be trusted. You need to go there and, bear with me, smell all the bedrooms. Yes, that’s right, take a good sniff in all of the rooms, because if they’re damp and mouldy, you will smell it. Also, if something about the property seems a bit off, don’t hesitate to try and contact the previous tenants. I know for sure that if someone tried to contact me about my current flat, I would happily advise them to stay away.

Good luck and happy house hunting!